Easy opening can



Nov. 22, 1966 J. s. BOZEK EASY OPENING CAN Filed Feb. 12. 1965 INVENTORJOHN S. BOZEK O 7 q fi m w Q 7 i ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,286,874 EASY OPENING CAN John S. Bozek, Chicago, Ill., assignor toContinental Can sCfonglpany, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of NewFiled Feb. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 432,370

17 Claims. (Cl. 220-48) This invention relates in general to new anduseful improvements in can structures, and more particularly to canshaving easy opening can ends.

Recently there have been numerous developments in cans of the easyopening type which do not require a tool to open them. This isparticularly true of beverage cans. The developments have been primarilydirected to cans wherein the ends thereof have tear out portions definedby score lines and the tear out portions have pull tabs attached theretoto facilitate separating the tear out portions from the can end panelsalong the score lines.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an easy opening can endwhich, when applied to a can, may be readily opened and at the same timedoes not require the use of a pull tab.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel can end whereinthe tear strip portion thereof has one end thereof hingedly connected tothe remainder of the can end so that in opening the can, the tear stripportion is merely folded back upon an adjacent portion of the can endand is not detached from the can and separately discarded.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel can end of theeasy opening type having formations adjacent the edges of the openingformed therein to protect the lips or adjacent mouth areas of a persondrinking therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel easy openingcan end which is so constructed that when applied to a can, it may beeasily opened by utilizing either another can or any conventional bluntleverage type tool that may be available, such as a spoon, knife, etc.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel easyopening can end which is so reinforced by suitable ribbing that themetal flow resulting from scoring the can end to define the openingpanel is gathered in the reinforcing ribs or heading of the can end.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel can whichincludes a can body having a can end of the easy opening type securedthereto by means of a conventional double seam, and the can beingopenable by inserting the double seam of a similar can between thedouble seam of the can and a portion of the can end. and utilizing thesimilar can as a prying tool to pry out a removable portion of the canend.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a can incorporatingthe spirit of this invention.-

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the can of FIGURE 1 andshows specifically the easy opening details of the can end thereof.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 33 of FIGURE 1 and shows the cross section of the can endthrough the removable portion thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 44 of FIGURE 2 and shows the specific transverse cross sectionof the removable 3,286,874 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 lar to FIGURE 2 andshows a modified can end construction.

In accordance with this invention, a can end is formed so that it may bereadily opened by utilizing a suitable pry tool including a similar can.The can end is provided with a tear strip portion that has a startingpart against which a lever type tool may be applied with the toolfulcruming about the double seam joining the can end to an associatedcan body.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated a can incorporating the spirit of this invention, the canbeing generally referred to by the numeral 10. The can 10 includes a canbody 11 which is closed at its upper end by means of a can end of theeasy opening type, the can end being generally referred to by the.numeral 12 and being secured to the can body 11 by means of aconventional double seam 13. As is best shown in FIGURE 6, the lower endof the can body 11 is closed by means of a can end 14 of theconventional type and which is secured to the can body 11 by means of aconventional double seam 15.

The opening of the can 10 is facilitated by providing an end panel 16 ofthe can end 12 with a tear strip portion 17. The tear strip portion 17,as is best shown in FIG- URE 2, is defined by three weakening or scorelines 18, 19 and 20 which are arranged in a generally triangularpattern. The score lines 18 and 19 are disposed in outwardly divergingrelation and intersect the ends of the score line 20. However, the innerends of the score lines 18 and 19 terminate short of intersection withone another and the material of the end panel 16 between the inner endsof the score lines 18 and 19 generally define a hinge area at 21.

The end panel 16 is connected to a chuck wall 22 of the can end 12 bymeans of a generally trough shaped recess 23 which extends entirelyaround the end panel 16. As is clearly shown in FIGURE 3, the recess 23presents an upstanding wall 24. The upstanding wall 24 is connecteddirectly to the end panel 16 and it will be apparent from FIGURE 3 thatthe score line 20 is formed in the upstanding wall 24 immediatelyadjacent its connection with the end panel 16.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 6 in particular, it will be seen that thecan 10 may be readily opened by utilizing a similarly formed can 10 oranother conventional can. When it is desired to open the can 10 for thedispensing of the beverage or other product disposed therein, the end ofanother can 10 may be positioned in generally overlapping relation tothe can 10 to be opened with the double seam 15 thereof being disposedgenerally within the recess 23 of the can to be opened, as is clearlyshown in FIGURE 5. It will be seen that the relationship of the two cansis such that the double seam 15 engages the upstanding wall 24 at thescore line 20. When a counterclockwise twisting force is applied to theuppermost can 10, it will pivot generally about the chuck wall 22 andthe double seam 13 to efiect an upwardly directed prying force on thetear strip portion 17 at the score line 20. As a result, the can end 12will be initially ruptured along the score line 20, followed by acomplete tearing of the can end 12 along the score line 20 and thenalong the score lines 18 and 19 as the uppermost can 10 is furtherpivoted or twisted. The can 10 which is being utilized for opening theother can may be then utilized as a pull type implement to pull the tearstrip portion 17 out of the plane of the end panel 16 and generally intoflattened overlying relation with respect thereto. Itis to be noted thatsince the score'line 20 is disposed in a recessed position with respectto the end panel 16, when the tear strip portion 17 is torn from the endpanel 16, there exists a small lip 25,-which is best shown in FIGURE 5,with which the opened can may be engaged to effect the final tearing ofthe tear strip portion and the folding thereof. 7

It is to be noted that the score line 20. is generally horizontallyfacing with the result that it defines a generally horizontal shoulderbeneath which a prying tool,

including a can, may be engaged. Thus, when the can 10 is being opened,there is a locking engagement between the prying tool and the tear stripportion along the score line 20.

Although the can 10 is particularly designed for opening by means of alike can or other conventional types of cans, it is to be noted that thetear strip portion 17 may be torn from the can 10 by means of otherconventional implements, such as spoons, knives, forks, etc. Also, it isto be understood that while'the tear strip portion 17 illustrated in thedrawings is particularly designed for the dispensing of liquids, thedesign of the tear strip portion 17 may be varied so that fine solidcontents may be dispensed from the can 10.

It is to be noted that the end panel 16 is reinforced by means of agenerally V-shaped head 26 which projects upwardly from the surface ofthe end panel adjacent the score lines 18 and 19 and around the apex ofthe tear strip portion 17. The bead 26 is of a two-fold purpose. First,it serves to gather the excess metal resulting from the forming of thescore lines 18 and 19. Secondly, it serves as a protective bufferpreventing ones mouth from engaging the end panel 16 directly along thescore lines 18 and 19 after the can 10 has been opened. It is to benoted that the bead 26 cooperates with the upstanding chuck wall 22 andthe associated double seam 13 to substantially completely surround thetear strip portion 17 and protect the same from accidental engagement.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4,the tear strip portion 17 is further provided with a longitudinallyextending upstanding rib 27 generally along the center line thereof.This rib serves to reinforce the tear strip portion 17 at the time it isbeing torn from the end panel 16. Also, it reinforces the tear stripportion 17 against flexing in the nonnalhandling of the can 10 and soprevents the accidental rupture of the can end 12 along one of the scorelines 18, 19 and 20. Further, the rib 27 serves to gather excess metalresulting from the forming of the score lines.

In FIGURE 7 a modified form of the tear strip portion 17 is illustrated.In lieu of being provided with a longitudinally extending rib, the tearstrip portion '17 of FIGURE 7 is provided with an arcuate rib 28 whichextends generally concentric to the seam 13 and generally between thetwo ends of the V-shaped bead 26. The arcuate rib 28 serves the samefunctions as is set forth with respect. to the rib 27, but more ablyfunctions to gather the metal from the forming of the score line 20.Further, it more ably resists transverse flexing of the tear stripportion 17 and thus prevents accidental rupture of the can end 12 at theintersections of the score line 20 with the score lines 18 and 19.

Although only two preferred embodiments of the invention have beenspecifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understoodthat other minor variations may be made in the disclosed easy openingcan construction within the spirit and scope of this invention, asdefined in the appened claims.

I claim:

1. An easy opening can end comprising an upstanding chuck wall and anend panel, a pair of inwardly converging weakening lines formed in saidend panel and in part: defining a triangular tear strip, said can endbeing recessed between said chuck wall and said end panel in alignmentwith said tear strip .to define an upstanding wall around said end paneland in opposed spaced relation to said chuck wall, and a generallycircumferentially extending third weakening line in said upstanding walland extending between the widely spaced ends of said pair of weakeninglines whereby said can end may be ruptured along said third weakeningline and said tear strip pn'ed out of the plane of said end panel.

2. The can end of claim 1 wherein said third weakening line is in theform of an external score line forming a shoulder beneath which a prytool may be engaged.

3. The can end of claim 1 wherein the spacing between said chuck .walland saidupstanding wall is sufiicient for the reception of a double seambetween a can body and a like can end whereby one can may be utilizedfor prying open an end of a like can.

4. The can end of claim 1 wherein the spacing between 7 said chuck walland said upstanding wall is sufficient for the reception of a doubleseam between a can body and a like can end whereby one ,can may beutilized for prying open an end of a like can, and said third weakeningline is in the form of an external score line forming a shoulder beneathwhich a can double seam may be engaged.

5. The can end of claim 1 wherein said end panel has a generallyV-shaped upstanding rib outlining and being disposed closely adjacentsaid pairof weakening lines for protecting the mouth of a persondrinking from the can end.

6. The can end of claim 1 wherein said pair of weak ening lines havespaced apart converging ends with the material of said end panel betweensaid spaced line ends defining a hinge for said tear strip to eliminatedetachment of said tear strip from said' end panels 7. The can end ofclaim 1 wherein said tear strip is reinforced by a rib formed therein.

8. The can end of claim 1 wherein said tear strip is reinforced by a ribformed therein, said rib being dise posed centrally of said tear stripand extending longi-. tudinally thereof.

9. The can end of claim 1 wherein said tear strip is reinforced by a ribformed therein, said rib being disposed adjacent said upstanding walland generally concentric therewith.

10. The can end .of claim 1 wherein said end panel has a generallyV-shaped upstanding rib outlining and being disposed closely adjacentsaid pair of weakening lines'for protecting the mouth of a persondrinking from the. can end, and said pair of weakening lines have spacedapart end, and said tear strip is reinforced by a rib formed.

therein.

12. An easy opening can end comprising an upstanding chuck wall and anend panel, a pair of inwardly converging weakening lines formed in saidend panel and in part defining a triangular tear strip, said can endhaving an upstanding wall extending generally between remote ends ofsaid weakening lines and generally opposing said chuck wall and agenerally circumferentially extending third: weakening line in saidupstanding wall and extending,

between the widely spaced ends of said pair of weakening lines wherebysaid can end may be ruptured along said third weakening line and saidtear strip pried out of the plane of said end panel.

13. The can end of claim 12 wherein said third weak,

ening line is in the form of an external score line forming a shoulderbeneath which a pry tool may be engaged.

14. The can end of claim 12 wherein the spacing between said chuck walland said upstanding wall is sufficient for the reception of a doubleseam between a can body and a like can end whereby one can may beutilized for prying open an end of a like can.

15. An easy opening can including a can end having a tear strip portiondefined therein by weakening lines, and upstanding projections extendingaround substantially all of said tear strip portion and functioning as aguard.

16. The can of claim 15 wherein said upstanding projections include anupstanding seam between said can end and a body of the can.

17. The can end of claim 12 wherein said upstanding 6 wall extendsdownwardly from an adjacent portion of said tear strip and said thirdweakening line is spaced downwardly from the upper boundary of saidupstanding wall whereby a tool engageable lip is left on said tear stripas it is being torn from said end panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/ 1940 Walensky22048 4/ 1951 Taylor et al. 813.1

1. AN EASY OPENING CAN END COMPRISING AN UPSTANDING CHUCK WALL AND ANEND PANEL, A PAIR OF INWARDLY CONVERGING WEAKENING LINES FORMED IN SAIDEND PANEL AND IN PART DEFINING A TRIANGULAR TEAR STRIP, SAID CAN ENDBEING RECESSED BETWEEN SAID CHUCK WALL AND SAID END PANEL IN ALIGNMENTWITH SAID TEAR STRIP TO DEFINE AN UPSTANDING WALL AROUND SAID END PANELAND IN OPPOSED SPACED RELATION TO SAID CHUCK WALL, AND A GENERALLYCIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING THIRD WEAKENING LINE IN SAID UPSTANDING WALLAND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE WIDELY SPACED ENDS OF SAID PAIR OF WEAKENINGLINES WHEREBY SAID CAN END MAY BE RUPTURED ALONG SAID THIRD WEAKENINGLINE AND SAID TEAR STRIP PRIED OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID END PANEL.